Dec 19, 2023, 14:33 by ASAM Weekly Editors

As we start wrapping up 2023, the next two issues of The ASAM Weekly will contain the best of publications in both news and science. We do this each year to allow our readers an opportunity to catch up on things they may have missed, reflect on things that might have changed, or find out if they’re reading what their colleagues are reading (sort of like personalized normative feedback mentioned in the study from Alcohol Clinical and Experimental Research).

Dec 13, 2023, 11:45 by ASAM Weekly Editors

It takes big data to tackle some of the biggest issues in addiction. Cannabis use rates have been rising in recent years and a new study leveraging data from the largest integrated health care system in the US (the VA) has found that cannabis use disorder (CUD) rates have more than doubled among veterans. Unfortunately, increases were disproportionately found among veterans with psychiatric disorders, especially those with the most severe diagnoses such as bipolar and psychotic spectrum disorders (American Journal of Psychiatry).

Dec 13, 2023, 10:00 by Molly McGrath

ASAM applauded the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for advancing the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (S. 3393). ASAM also applauded the committee for advancing the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act (S. 644), which is urgently needed to help more Americans with opioid use disorder (OUD) receive methadone through the expertise of addiction specialist physicians and local pharmacies.

Dec 11, 2023, 13:49 by Molly McGrath

Dec 5, 2023, 02:00 by Bob Davis

The field of addiction medicine has been working hard to raise awareness about the disease and its treatments. A new study from NIDA researchers is doing so because of unfortunate findings: overdose deaths rose significantly for pregnant and postpartum women across demographic groups and in areas with adequate health care access, underscoring how stigma and punitive policies are still discouraging treatment (JAMA Psychiatry).

Dec 4, 2023, 17:58 by Molly McGrath

Dec 1, 2023, 14:27 by Molly McGrath

ASAM recently joined a sign-on letter from the Kennedy Forum in response to a request for comments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to assess compliance with mental health parity and addiction equity in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Dec 1, 2023, 14:18 by Molly McGrath

ASAM supported removing barriers to smoking cessation products to provide more people better access to these tools.

Nov 30, 2023, 15:48 by Molly McGrath

Nov 29, 2023, 08:44 by Molly McGrath

MDDCSAM and ASAM expressed their shared concern regarding rising opioid-related overdose deaths in Washington, DC, attributed primarily to high-potency synthetic opioids (HPSOs), including fentanyl and its analogs.

Nov 28, 2023, 13:12 by Bob Davis

SAMHSA recently released results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). While further analysis of the data is expected to follow, many of our featured publications this week provide important context for the numbers.

Nov 27, 2023, 18:52 by Molly McGrath

On November 21, ASAM sent a letter to the leadership of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), urging strong policymaking to tackle America's substance use challenges. Outlining five policy solutions that interlock for an exponentially stronger approach to the U.S.'s addiction and overdose crisis, ASAM urged the Committee's leadership...

Nov 22, 2023, 12:09 by Bob Davis

If you're a little apprehensive this year about having awkward or even anxiety-provoking Thanksgiving conversations, then we’ve got you covered.

Nov 17, 2023, 18:49 by Molly McGrath

ASAM joined the American Medical Association, many state medical associations and other national medical specialty societies in urging Congress to quickly pass legislation to stop another impending round of Medicare payment cuts.

Nov 14, 2023, 12:00 by ASAM Weekly Editors

How we frame the problem significantly impacts individuals with addiction. A global review of legislative approaches toward gambling demonstrates how some countries are still warming to a systemic, public health approach while many are mostly focused on vulnerable individuals and promoting responsible gambling (Lancet Public Health).

Nov 7, 2023, 12:00 by Weekly Editors

As we presented last week, ASAM provides expert guidance for the field of addiction medicine. Today, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) published the Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder.

Nov 7, 2023, 08:31 by Bob Davis

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) have jointly developed a crucial Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder (StUD). This groundbreaking guideline is designed to provide evidence-based strategies and clinically informed standards of care for the prevention and treatment of StUD, stimulant intoxication, and stimulant withdrawal.

Nov 3, 2023, 15:32 by Molly McGrath

ASAM recently joined several organizations in a sign-on letter applauding the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) proposed harm reduction framework designed to better integrate such strategies throughout the agency's policies and programming.

Nov 3, 2023, 15:24 by Molly McGrath

ASAM joined several national medical specialty societies and other advocates to raise concerns about the health insurer, Aetna’s recent decision to terminate several services for the treatment of mental health (MH) disorders and substance use disorder (SUD) via telehealth, effective December 1, 2023.

Nov 2, 2023, 12:09 by Molly McGrath

ASAM joined other stakeholders in a letter to the leadership of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture and the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, supporting the inclusion of the Re-Entry Support Through Opportunities for Resources and Essentials (RESTORE) Act of 2023 (H.R. 3479/S.1753) in the 2023 Farm Bill.